Evaluation of the probiotic characteristics of Bacillus species isolated from different food sources

Probiotics have established their efficacy as dietary adjuncts providing benefits to consumers. However, selection of probiotics before incorporation into diet requires close scrutiny in the form of in vitro as well as in vivo tests. Three bacteriocinogenic Bacillus sp., namely, B. licheniformis Me1, B. flexus Hk1, and B. subtilis Bn1 previously isolated from milk, cheese and fermented beans, respectively, were characterized for typical in vitro probiotic criteria. When compared to probiotic Bacillus coagulans, all three cultures were found to possess better acid and bile tolerance. Cultures Me1 and Bn1, except Hk1, showed bile salt hydrolase activity. A marked difference in adhesion to hydrocarbons and auto-aggregation properties from 10–80 and 60–99%, respectively, were observed for the tested cultures. Highest antioxidant activity was measured for culture Hk1 (66.6%), whereas least activity of 53% was observed for culture Bn1. Cultures Me1 and Bn1 were sensitive to all the antibiotics tested, whereas Hk1 and B. coagulans showed resistance to the penicillin group of β-lactum antibiotics. All the tested cultures showed a broad spectrum of activity against food-borne pathogens. In co-cultivation studies, B. licheniformis Me1 completely inhibited the growth of the indicator pathogen Listeria monocytogenes ScottA. Overall, the test cultures exhibiting potential probiotic characteristics, particularly B. licheniformis Me1, can serve as probiotics of commercial interest.